Improvement in car-brakes



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND I. HOOKADAY, OF PLEASANT HILL, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-BRAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,567, dated July 28,1874; application filed May 29, 1874.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND I. HOOKADAY, of Pleasant Hill, Cass county,Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Oar-Brake, of which thefollowing is a specification:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinalsection of a railroad-carand tender with my improved car-brake attached,and Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

The invention is an improvement in the class of brakes which are soconstructed and applied to railway-cars that the whole series may besimultaneously operated by means under the control of the engineer. Theimprovement relates to the construction and arrangement of parts, ashereinafter described generally, and specifically indicated in theclaim.

In the drawing, A represents the bottom of frame of a railroad-car; B,the sliding bar, applied to the under side of bottom A, and guided insuitable stirrups or bands a, and provided at both ends withbuffer-heads B, its whole length being somewhat less than the distancefrom draw-head to draw-head in order to allow for the compression of thedrawhead springs. The slidin'g bar B is constructed to correspond withthe special kind of car to which it is applied, and may be made eitherbent or straight at the ends in front of the trucks, or the broader headparts may be separately hung and connected to the main slidebar bysuitable chains and pulley attachments. The sliding bar B connects withthe brake mechanism by a chain, 11, with double end parts, which areattached to the bar B at both sides and equal distance from a pulley,(I, hung suitably below the same, so that the brake may be operated bypulling the sliding bar in either direction. Ohain a is attached to thebrake-lever O by a coiled spring, 0, which, by its elasticity,distributes the pressure upon the bars, thus obviating slightinequalities in the slack of difi'erent cars. The sliding bar isfurthermore connected, by a chain, to the common hand-wheel and shaftmechanism, for braking the car independently in the usual manner, forswitching, and other purposes. The tender is provided under the reardraw-head with a short sliding bufferrod, D, which is operated by meansof a pulley and chain, f, from a brake-shaft and wheel at the forwardend of the tender. The buffer-rod D is guided under suitable inclinationback of the rear truck of the tender, and projects, when in regularposition, beyond the draw-head far enough to take up nearly the entireslack space between the tender and first car. An inclined groove ornotch, g, at the upper part of buffer-rod D, serves for being placedfirmly over a downward-projecting inclined shoulder or seat, g, of thebottom frame of the tender, so that the buffer-rod is firmly heldthereon in the required position for the braking action.

For throwing the buffer-rod out of position, the pressure of thebrake-wheel is released, so that the rod is dropped down from theshoulder or seat, and slides out of the way without engaging theconnecting sliding bars of the cars.

The operation of the brake is as follows: The bufier-rod is required tobe always in position on the shoulder or seat of the tenderframe whenthe train is running in forward direction, so that its head projects therequisite distance beyond the rear draw-head. ()n the discovery ofsudden danger the engine is reversed, or its motion is retarded, so thatthe momentum of each car carries it forward the full length of itsslack, and produces the action of the buffer-rod of the tender on thesliding bar and brake of the first car which carries back that of thesecond, and so on till the whole train is acted upon by the brakes in aperfectly automatic manner.

In order to release the brakes and back the train, the engine isslightly moved forward, the brake-wheel connecting-chain is released, sothat the buffer-rod drops out of position and discontinues its action onthe sliding bar. The dropping of the buffer-rod is, however, onlyrequired for backing the train. During the forward motion the'rod isrequired to be in position on the shoulder for producing the automaticaction of the brakes in case of danger immediately on the backing of theengine.

I do not claim the application of sliding bars to railway-cars tooperate the brakes thereof by the action of one bar on another 5 but,

Having thus described my invention; I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the fixed roller d, cord orchain b, spring 0, lever G, and brakebeams with the sliding bar B B,applied to the bottom of the car, all constructed to 0perate as shownand described.

2. The combination, with the sliding bar B B, fixed roller (1, cord orchain b, brake level and beams, of the inclined sliding buffer D, havingnotch g, the projection g on the tender, and the lever chain and pulley,all to operate as set forth.

EDMUND I. HOOKADAY. Witnesses:

BARTON WHERRITT, WILLIAM M. MILLS.

